Part 17 (1/2)

Post-captains were appointed as governors to the royal hospitals of Haslar and Plymouth, and lieutenants to those of Deal and Great Yarmouth.

One of the most gallant actions of the war was fought at the commencement of this year in the West Indies. The _Blanche_, a 32-gun 12-pounder frigate, commanded by Captain Robert Faulkner, was cruising in the neighbourhood of Guadaloupe, when she chased a French armed schooner, under a fort within a bay in the island of Desirade. The schooner brought up with springs to her cables; but, notwithstanding the fire of the fort and some troops on sh.o.r.e, Captain Faulkner cut the schooner out with his boats, and triumphantly carried her off. Manning his prize, he sent her away to an English port, and was next day joined by the _Quebec_ frigate, which, however, parted company. On the 4th at daybreak Captain Faulkner discovered the French 32-gun frigate _Pique_, lying at anchor just outside the harbour of Pointe-a-Petre in Guadaloupe. Finding the French frigate, however, did not appear inclined to come out from under the protection of the batteries, the _Blanche_ made sail towards a schooner, which she captured and took in tow. She then stood over for Dominico with her prize. Late in the evening, however, the French frigate was seen about two leagues astern, upon which, Captain Faulkner, casting off the schooner, tacked and made sail to meet her. At a quarter-past twelve the _Blanche_ tacked and came up with her. When within musket-shot the enemy wore; Captain Faulkner seeing his intention was to rake him, wore also, when the two frigates closely engaged broadside to broadside. A fierce action now ensued for an hour and a-half, when, as the _Blanche_, shooting ahead, was in the act of luffing up to rake the _Pique_, her main and mizen-masts fell over the side. Directly after this, the _Pique_ running foul of the _Blanche_ on her larboard quarter, the French made several attempts to board. They were, however, gallantly repulsed by the British crew, and the larboard quarter-deck guns and such of those on the main-deck as could be brought to bear, were fired into the _Pique's_ starboard bow, she answering in return with musketry from her tops, as also from some of her quarter-deck guns, which had been run in amids.h.i.+ps fore and aft. The bowsprit of the _Pique_ pa.s.sing over the starboard-quarter of the _Blanche_, Captain Faulkner, aided by his second lieutenant and two others of his crew, was in the act of las.h.i.+ng the _Pique's_ bowsprit to her capstern, when he was shot by a musket-ball through the heart. Soon after this the las.h.i.+ngs broke loose, when the _Pique_, as she was crossing the stern of the _Blanche_, which began to pay off for want of after-sail, again fell on board on the starboard-quarter, her hawser having just before been got on deck, the _Pique's_ bowsprit was lashed to the stump of the _Blanche's_ main-mast. The first lieutenant, Mr Frederick Watkins, now took command, and kept the _Blanche_ before the wind, towing her opponent, while a hot fire was kept up by the British marines on the French seamen who attempted to cut away the second las.h.i.+ng. This was returned from the forecastle and tops of the _Pique_, as well as from the latter's quarter-deck guns pointed forward. The _Blanche_ having no stern-ports on the main-deck could only return the fire by two quarter-deck 6-pounders. Lieutenant Watkins accordingly resolved to venture on the somewhat hazardous experiment of blowing away part of the stern to allow a couple of guns to be run out. The firemen were called with their buckets ready to extinguish the flames should they burst out, and two 12-pounders being pointed astern in the cabin, soon made a clear breach, through which a tremendous fire was opened on the _Pique's_ decks. The French frigate had already lost her fore and mizen-mast, and about three hours and a quarter after midnight, her main-mast fell over the side.

Thus the _Blanche_ continued towing along her antagonist, which, notwithstanding the raking fire to which she was exposed, held out two hours longer; when at length some of the French seamen who had climbed on to the bowsprit cried out that they had struck. Neither of the frigates being able to put a boat in the water, Mr David Milne, the second lieutenant, and ten men, endeavoured to gain the prize by means of a hawser still attached to her. Their weight, however, bringing it down, they were compelled to swim on board. When the _Blanche_ commenced the action, she had but 198 men and boys on board; of these, besides her gallant commander, she lost a mids.h.i.+pman, 5 seamen, and I marine killed, and I mids.h.i.+pman, 4 petty officers, and 12 seamen, and 4 marines wounded. The _Pique_ had 279 men on board, of whom she lost 76 officers and men killed and 110 wounded, her brave captain, who soon afterwards died from his hurts, being among the number. The _Blanche_ measured 710 tons and the _Pique_ 906, while the weight of her guns was slightly in excess of that of the victor. The _Pique_ was added to the British Navy, and Lieutenants Watkins and Milne were deservedly promoted. About a quarter-of-an-hour after the action had ceased, just after daylight, a 64-gun s.h.i.+p, the _Veteran_, was seen approaching, and the French officers afterwards refused to sign the usual head-money certificate unless the _Veteran_ was named as one of their captors, though they afterwards withdrew their objections, which were absurd, considering that though she had seen the flashes of their guns, she had not caught sight of the combatants until the _Pique_ was in possession of her captors.

The change which had some time before been proposed in the armament of British s.h.i.+ps of war had now taken place, though at first, as has been the case with other improvements, carronades were objected to on various grounds, there were now few s.h.i.+ps in the navy without them. A whole cla.s.s of s.h.i.+ps, carrying 44 guns, were armed on the main-deck with 32-pounder carronades, instead of the long 6-pounders which they would otherwise have carried. A considerable increase was also made in the size of s.h.i.+ps. The largest launched at this date, the _Ville de Paris_, to carry 110 guns, was somewhat smaller, however, than the French 80-gun s.h.i.+ps. Fourteen s.h.i.+ps of the line had been commissioned, and ten had been purchased from the East India Company and armed with 54 guns, but, though well fitted for merchantmen, were unsuitable for men-of-war.

With one of them, however, one of the most gallant actions on record was fought, about the middle of this year, 1796. The _Glatton_, one of the purchased Indiamen, of 1256 tons, commanded by Captain Henry Trollope, and fitted on the main-deck with 28 carronades, 68-pounders, the rest of her guns being 32-pounders, making altogether 54 guns; but, as the ports were too small to allow the larger guns to traverse properly, and she had no bow or stern chasers, they could only be pointed right abeam.

Having been appointed to reinforce the North Sea Fleet, under Admiral Duncan, she proceeded from Sheerness to Yarmouth Roads, whence, on the 14th of July, she was directed to sail to join a squadron of two sail of the line and some frigates, under the command of Captain Savage, of the _Albion_ 64, cruising off the Texel. At one in the afternoon of the 16th, being about four or five leagues from Helvaetsluis, Captain Trollope discovered a squadron of s.h.i.+ps of war, consisting of six large frigates, a brig, and a cutter. One of these, as far as could be made out, mounted 50 guns, two 36, and the other three 28. He was soon convinced, from the way in which they manoeuvred, and from not answering the private signal, that they were enemies. Not intimidated, however, by their vast superiority, he at once cleared for action, and bore down resolutely to attack them. The strangers on this shortened sail, backing their mizen-topsails, in order to keep their stations. At 10 p.m. Captain Trollope having got alongside of the third s.h.i.+p in the enemy's line, hailed her, and finding that she was French, ordered her commander to strike his colours. Instead of doing so, he immediately fired a broadside, on which the _Glatton_ poured into her antagonist, at a distance of thirty yards, such a shower of shot as perhaps no s.h.i.+p had ever before received. Her crew being insufficient to man her guns on both sides, the allotment to each gun was divided into gangs. One of these having loaded and run out the gun, left the most experienced hands to point and fire it, while they ran across and loaded and ran out the gun on the opposite side. The two headmost French s.h.i.+ps then tacked, one placing herself alongside to windward, and the other on the _Glatton's_ bow, while the other s.h.i.+ps engaged her on her lee-quarter and stern. A fierce cannonade was kept up, the _Glatton_ engaging on both sides so near, that her yard-arms were nearly touching those of the enemy; the shrieks and cries which arose from them showing the terrible effect of the _Glatton's_ shot--though the French commodore, at all events, exhibited no want of courage in the way he fought his s.h.i.+p.

Close to leeward was the Brill shoal, on which the van-s.h.i.+p of the French, now tacking, endeavoured to drive the _Glatton_. The French commodore, with whom Captain Trollope had at first engaged, was still on his lee bow, when the pilot exclaimed, that unless the _Glatton_ tacked she would be on the Brill. ”When the Frenchman strikes the ground, do you put the helm a-lee,” was the answer. Directly afterwards the commodore tacked, when, while he was in stays, the _Glatton_ poured in a heavy raking fire, and then endeavoured to come about, but so damaged was she in her sails and rigging, that it was not without difficulty she could do so. Notwithstanding that her topmasts and yards were wounded, her crew, when ordered to shorten sail, flew aloft with alacrity, executing their task, in spite of the shot flying round them from the nearest of the Frenchmen able to continue the action. During this interval the _Glatton's_ fire had ceased, and one of the French s.h.i.+ps stood towards her, in the hopes, probably, of making her their prize, but the British crew hurrying to their guns, soon undeceived them, and compelled their still remaining antagonists to follow their consorts.

In attempting to wear after them, Captain Trollope found his masts, rigging, and sails so much injured that all his efforts were ineffectual, or his gallantry would probably have been rewarded by a complete victory. The remainder of the night was spent in strengthening masts and yards, and in bending fresh sails, and by seven o'clock the next morning the s.h.i.+p was in a fit state to renew the action. The enemy were at this time seen steering for Flus.h.i.+ng; Captain Trollope continued to follow them till nine o'clock, when, as he had no hopes of being joined by any other s.h.i.+ps, and the wind was blowing fresh on sh.o.r.e, he was compelled to haul off and steer for Yarmouth Roads, where he arrived on the 21st. It was afterwards discovered that the French s.h.i.+ps had all, more or less, suffered, some of those that had taken the chief part in the action being tremendously knocked about, their decks being ripped up by the _Glatton's_ shot; one of them, indeed, sank on reaching Flus.h.i.+ng harbour. The largest, with which the _Glutton_ was chiefly engaged, was supposed to be the _Brutus_, armed with 46 24-pounders on the main-deck, and several 36-pounders on the quarter-deck and forecastle, while she was fully 300 tons larger than the _Glatton_.

Though Captain Trollope might have relied on the weight of metal his s.h.i.+p carried, yet his courage and decision in sailing into the midst of six powerfully-armed opponents is worthy of all admiration, and justly ent.i.tled him to the honour of knighthood, which was conferred on him soon afterwards by the king, while the merchants of London presented him with a handsome piece of plate, to show their appreciation of his courage.

In September of this year, the _Amphion_ frigate, of 32 guns, commanded by Captain Pellew, lay refitting at Plymouth. Her captain and two other officers were in the cabin at dinner, when a rumbling noise was heard.

The captain, followed by his lieutenant, rushed into the quarter-gallery--the instant afterwards the s.h.i.+p blew up; the greater number of persons on board, amounting to nearly 300, perished, they and forty others only escaping with their lives, many of them being severely injured. Great as was the explosion, it had but a trifling effect on the s.h.i.+ps near her. Her masts (excepting the mizen-mast) were s.h.i.+vered to pieces and forced out of the s.h.i.+p; four of her main-deck guns were cast upon the deck of the hulk alongside which she lay; and several bodies, pieces of the wreck, etcetera, were thrown as high as her main-topgallant mast-head.

Another gallant action was fought on the 13th of October by the _Terpsich.o.r.e_ frigate, of 32 guns and 215 men, commanded by Captain Richard Bowen. The _Terpsich.o.r.e_ having left thirty men at the hospital, the greater number being still dangerously ill on board, was cruising off Carthagena, when at daylight Captain Bowen discovered a large frigate to windward, apparently in chase of him. Though so near an enemy's port, that even in the event of a victory he could scarcely hope to carry off his prize, trusting to his well-tried crew, he determined to meet the foe. At half-past nine the stranger came within hail, and hauled up on the _Terpsich.o.r.e's_ weather-beam. A fierce action now ensued, and continued on both sides for an hour and twenty minutes, when the enemy's fire began to slacken, and she attempted to make off; but the superior skill of Captain Bowen frustrated the attempt, and in less than twenty minutes compelled her to surrender.

When taken possession of she proved to be the _Mahonesa_, a Spanish frigate of 36 guns, besides cohorns and snivels, manned with a crew of 275 men. She was completely disabled, her main-deck guns were rendered entirely useless, the booms having fallen down upon them, while her standing and running rigging was cut to pieces, she having also lost thirty men killed and as many more wounded. The _Terpsich.o.r.e_ had only the boatswain and three seamen wounded. Captain Bowen spoke of the gallant way in which the Spanish captain, Don Thomas Ayaldi, had fought his s.h.i.+p, having held out as long as he had the slightest prospect of victory. Notwithstanding her crippled condition, Captain Bowen succeeded in carrying his prize to Lisbon, but she was considered too much battered to be worth the cost of a thorough repair.

Soon afterwards, Captain Bowen captured a French 36-gun frigate, _La Vestale_, all her masts and her bowsprit being knocked away, and a large proportion of her crew killed and wounded. Being close to the shoals that lie between Cape Trafalgar and Cadiz, the prize, with the _Terpsich.o.r.e's_ master, one mids.h.i.+pman, and seven seamen, it having been impossible to remove the French crew, drifted towards the sh.o.r.e, where the master at length brought her up, and during the darkness the _Terpsich.o.r.e_ lost sight of her prize. While attempting to tow her off the next day, the towrope got foul of a rock and was cut. Soon after this the Frenchmen rose on the prize-crew and again anch.o.r.ed close insh.o.r.e. The next morning, when Captain Bowen stood in to look for her, he had the mortification to see her standing in to Cadiz, some Spanish boats having come off and taken possession of her. _La Vestale_ was, however, captured in the year 1799 by the gallant Captain Cunningham, of the _Clyde_.

Pa.s.sing over many interesting events, we come to one which cannot be omitted in the history of the British Navy. English seamen had long undoubtedly been subjected to much ill-treatment. A large proportion of a s.h.i.+p's company consisted of pressed men, compelled to serve against their will. They were often harshly treated by their officers; they were badly fed, and but poorly paid, and often punished; while their necessaries were embezzled, and they were cheated in a variety of ways.

Towards the end of February, 1797, while Lord Howe was on sh.o.r.e, several pet.i.tions were sent up from the seamen at Portsmouth, asking for an advance of wages. They were forwarded to Earl Spencer, First Lord of the Admiralty, but as they were looked upon as forgeries, no notice was taken of them. Lord Howe being unable from sickness to go afloat, Lord Bridport took command of the fleet, when the seamen, supposing their complaints to be disregarded, refused to put to sea. On the 17th of March, every man in the fleet having sworn to support the cause, the mutiny broke out. Ropes were reeved at the foreyard-arms of the _Queen Charlotte_, and the mutineers were about to hang the first lieutenant of the s.h.i.+p, when Lord Bridport saved him. They, however, turned all the officers out of the fleet who had behaved in any way to offend them.

Two delegates were appointed from each s.h.i.+p to represent the whole fleet, and the admiral's cabin in the _Queen Charlotte_ was fixed upon as the place for their deliberations. On the 21st Admirals Gardner, Colpoys, and Pole went on board the _Queen Charlotte_ in order to confer with the delegates. These men a.s.sured the admirals that no arrangement would be considered as satisfactory till it should be sanctioned by the king and parliament, and guaranteed by a proclamation for a general pardon. So irritated did Admiral Gardner become on hearing this, that he seized one of the delegates and swore that he would have them all hanged with every fifth man throughout the fleet. This so exasperated the crew that it was with difficulty Admiral Gardner escaped with his life from the s.h.i.+p. The red or b.l.o.o.d.y flag was now seen flying from the _Royal George_, and that of Lord Bridport was struck. The mutineers also loaded all the guns, keeping a watch the same as at sea; every officer being detained on board his respective s.h.i.+p. In a few days, however, the seamen, hearing that their pet.i.tions were likely to be attended to, returned to their duty. Admiral Bridport rehoisted his flag on board the _Royal George_, and informed the seamen that he had brought with him the redress of their grievances and his majesty's pardon for the offenders. It was now hoped that all matters in dispute were settled; but the seamen, fancying that notwithstanding the admiral's a.s.surances, they were to be neglected, again refused when ordered to weigh anchor. Admiral Golpoys, on this, ordered the marines to prevent the delegates from coming on board. The latter attempted to force their way, when the marines fired, and five seamen were killed and one of their officers wounded. On this the crew of the _London_ turned the guns in the fore-part of the s.h.i.+p aft, and threatened to blow the officers, and all who stood by them, into the water. Seeing that resistance was hopeless, the officers surrendered, and the admiral and captain were confined in their cabins. Happily, on the 8th of May, a resolution of the House of Commons was pa.s.sed, and the king's free pardon being communicated to the seamen, they became satisfied, the red flag was struck, the officers were reinstated in their commands, and the whole fleet put to sea the next day to look out for the enemy. Lord Bridport had been ordered to keep at sea as much as possible, and only to return when necessary to refit or revictual. This plan succeeded, and the seamen generally obeyed their officers and conducted themselves properly.

At Plymouth the s.h.i.+ps' companies exhibited a mutinous disposition, but, after a time, they accepted the terms offered to the seamen at Portsmouth, and tranquillity was restored.

While these things were occurring at home, Sir John Jervis, with about 15 sail of the line, 4 frigates, 2 sloops of war, and a cutter, after putting into the Tagus, was cruising off Cape Saint Vincent. While there, a Spanish fleet of 25 sail of the line, 11 frigates, and a brig, came through the Straits of Gibraltar, bound for Cadiz. On the 14th of February, before dawn, a Portuguese frigate brought intelligence to the admiral that a Spanish fleet was about five leagues to windward. The English fleet was formed in two compact divisions; in one of them was the _Captain_, with the broad pendant of Horatio Nelson. It appeared that the Spaniards had at first supposed that the fleet in sight was part of a convoy. Some days before an American, which had pa.s.sed through the British fleet before Admiral Sir Hyde Parker had joined with five s.h.i.+ps of the line, while another, the _Culloden_, was absent in chase, had given the information that the English admiral had only nine sail of the line. The morning broke dark and hazy, and the Spaniards obtaining but a partial view of the British fleet, were fully confirmed in their mistake, and believed that they should surround the whole British squadron and carry them in triumph into Cadiz. Notwithstanding the more just estimate that Sir John Jervis had of his opponents, he lost no time in endeavouring to bring them to action. The main body of the Spanish fleet came down under all sail, with the wind on the starboard-quarter, while the s.h.i.+ps to leeward, close-hauled on the same tack, were endeavouring to join them there. Admiral Jervis formed his line close-hauled on the starboard tack, steering straight for the opening between the two divisions of the Spanish fleet. The _Culloden_, the leading s.h.i.+p, commanded by Captain Troubridge, had the honour of commencing the battle about half-past eleven; the other British s.h.i.+ps following, effectually cut off a part of the Spanish fleet from the main body, and compelled them to form on the larboard tack, with the intention of pa.s.sing through or to leeward of the British line; but they were met with so warm a reception from the centre of the British that they were obliged to tack, and were unable again to get into action till towards the close of the day. Admiral Jervis now devoted all his attention to the main body of the enemy's fleet to windward, which was reduced at this time, by the separation of the s.h.i.+ps to leeward, to eighteen sail of the line. A little after twelve o'clock the signal was made for the British fleet to tack in succession, and soon after the signal for again pa.s.sing the enemy's line; while the Spanish admiral's design appeared to be to join the s.h.i.+ps to leeward by wearing round to the rear of the British line. The intention of the enemy was, however, soon perceived by Commodore Nelson, who, being in the rear, had an opportunity of observing this manoeuvre. In order to frustrate the design, he had no sooner pa.s.sed the Spanish rear than he wore and stood on the other tack towards the enemy. In executing this bold and decisive manoeuvre, the commodore found himself alongside of the Spanish admiral in the _Santissima Trinidad_, of 136 guns. Notwithstanding this immense disparity, Nelson was not the man to shrink from the contest, though the Spaniard was ably supported by her two seconds ahead and astern, each of which was a three-decker. While Nelson sustained this unequal conflict, Troubridge in the _Culloden_, and Captain Frederick in the _Blenheim_, were coming to his a.s.sistance. Sir John Jervis had ordered Captain Collingwood in the _Excellent_ to bear up, while he pa.s.sed to leeward of the rearmost s.h.i.+ps of the enemy. As he did so, he gave the _San Ysidro_ so effectual a broadside that she was compelled to submit. Captain Collingwood then pa.s.sed on to the relief of Nelson, but before he arrived, the Spaniard's mizen-mast fell overboard and she got entangled with her second, the _San Nicolas_, a s.h.i.+p of guns. On this, Nelson determined to board the _San Nicolas_, and the _Captain_ was so judiciously placed by Captain Miller, her commander, that he laid her aboard on the starboard-quarter of the Spanish 84, her spritsail-yard pa.s.sing over the enemy's p.o.o.p, and hooking in her mizen-shrouds.

Nothing can surpa.s.s Nelson's own description of what now took place.

Calling for the boarders, he ordered them on board:--”The soldiers of the 69th regiment, with an alacrity which will ever do them credit, and Lieutenant Pearson of the same regiment, were almost the foremost on this service. The first man who jumped into the enemy's mizen-chains was Captain Berry, late my first lieutenant (Captain Miller was in the very act of going also, but I directed him to remain). A soldier of the 69th regiment having broken the upper-quarter-gallery window, jumped in, followed by myself and others as fast as possible. I found the cabin doors fastened, and some Spanish officers fired their pistols at us through the windows; but having burst open the doors, the soldiers fired, and the Spanish brigadier (or commodore) fell as he was retreating to the quarter-deck. I found Captain Berry in possession of the p.o.o.p, and the Spanish ensign hauling down. I pa.s.sed with my people and Lieutenant Pearson along the larboard gangway to the forecastle, where I met several Spanish officers prisoners to my seamen, and they delivered me their swords. At this moment, a fire of pistols or muskets opening from the admiral's stern-gallery in the _San Josef_, I directed the soldiers to fire into her stern. Our seamen by this time were in full possession of every part of the s.h.i.+p. About seven of my men were killed, and some few wounded, and about twenty Spaniards. Having placed sentinels at the different ladders, and calling to Captain Miller, ordering him to send more men into the _San Nicolas_, I directed my brave fellows to board the first-rate, the _San Josef_, which was done in an instant, Captain Berry a.s.sisting me into the main-chains.

”At this moment a Spanish officer looked over the quarter-deck rail, and said they surrendered. From this most welcome intelligence, it was not long before I was on the quarter-deck, when the Spanish captain, with bended knee, presented me his sword, and told me the admiral was dying of his wounds below. I asked him on his honour if the s.h.i.+p had surrendered. He declared she had; on which I gave him my hand, and desired him to call his officers and s.h.i.+p's company and tell them of it, which he did; and on the quarter-deck of a Spanish first-rate, extravagant as the story may seem, did I receive the swords of vanquished Spaniards, which, as I received, I gave to William Fearney, one of my barge-men, who tucked them, with the greatest _sang-froid_, under his arm.”

Immediately on Nelson's return on board the _Captain_, he made the signal for boats to a.s.sist in disengaging her from the prizes, and as she was rendered incapable of further service until refitted, he hoisted his pennant for the moment on board the _Minerve_ frigate. In the meantime Admiral Jervis ordered the _Victory_ to be placed on the lee-quarter of the rearmost s.h.i.+p of the enemy, the _Salvador del Mundo_, and threw in so effectual a broadside that the Spanish commander, seeing the _Barfleur_ bear down to second the _Victory_, struck his flag. He was very nearly capturing the _Santissana Trinidad_, but the rest of the Spanish fleet, hitherto uninjured, coming down, he found it necessary to secure his prizes and bring to. All these s.h.i.+ps did was to open an ineffectual fire, and then to sail away, leaving the British to carry off their prizes in triumph. The English s.h.i.+ps lost in killed and wounded only 300 men, while on board the s.h.i.+ps captured the Spanish killed and wounded amounted to 697. Just honours were showered on the victorious admirals and captains; Sir John Jervis was created a peer of Great Britain, under the t.i.tles of Baron Jervis of Meaford and Earl Saint Vincent; and among others, Commodore Nelson, who had just before been made a vice-admiral, received the insignia of the Bath.

It had been believed that the mutinous spirit of the seamen had been quelled by the concessions made to them, but such, it was soon found, was not the case. On the 20th of May most of the s.h.i.+ps lying at the Nore, and nearly all of those belonging to the North Sea Fleet, hoisted the red flag. The mutineers at Sheerness, like those at Spithead, had chosen two delegates from every s.h.i.+p, and had appointed as a president over them a man of the name of Richard Parker; while on board each s.h.i.+p was a committee of twelve men, who decided on all the affairs relative to its internal management. They declared themselves dissatisfied with the terms accepted by the seamen of Portsmouth, and demanded a more just division of prize-money, more regular and frequent payment of wages, and also permission to go on sh.o.r.e when in port, with several other conditions. This statement they required Vice-Admiral Buckner, whose flag was flying on board the _Sandwich_, of 90 guns, to transmit without delay to the Admiralty, and they declared that only when its conditions were complied with would they return to their duty. So bold did they become that they went on sh.o.r.e without interruption, parading Sheerness with music and flags, inviting the crews of other s.h.i.+ps to join them; while they had their headquarters in a public-house, above which a red flag was hoisted. To put a stop to this, some regiments were sent for, when they thought it prudent to keep to their s.h.i.+ps. All communication with the sh.o.r.e being stopped, the mutineers supplied themselves with water and provisions from the merchant-vessels which they brought to, while they allowed none to proceed up to London, completely blockading the port. Throughout the whole of the mutiny the seamen behaved respectfully to their superior officers, while the strictest discipline was kept up on board all the s.h.i.+ps. On the king's birthday the seamen even exhibited their loyalty by firing a grand salute from all the s.h.i.+ps, which were decorated in the manner usual on festive occasions.

Conciliatory measures for inducing the seamen to return to their duty were tried in vain. The Government, however, would not yield to any of their demands, and the seamen on board most of the s.h.i.+ps at length finding their cause hopeless, hauled down the red flag. Some had previously made their escape from their midst. Ultimately, the crew of the _Sandwich_ carried their s.h.i.+p under the guns of Sheerness, when a guard of soldiers coming on board, Parker, their ringleader, was delivered up. He, with the chief culprits, was tried, convicted, and executed; others were flogged through the fleet, and many were imprisoned for certain periods, a general pardon being granted to the seamen who had been misled by them.

Wide as was the spread of the mutiny, whole s.h.i.+ps' companies remained true to their colours. Among these crews who remained loyal, that of the _Saint Fiorenzo_ deserves especially to be mentioned, and an account written by the late Admiral Mitford, who was then a mids.h.i.+pman on board her, cannot fail to prove interesting. ”She was,” says Admiral Mitford, ”the favourite frigate of his majesty George the Third, who, from his courtesy and kind manner towards the s.h.i.+p's company, had endeared himself to them. This may in some degree account for the loyalty of the men, strengthened by their unbounded attachment to one of the most humane, brave, and zealous commanders that ever walked a deck--one to whom every man looked up as a father, the late Admiral Sir Harry Burrard Neale. A better lesson cannot be given to a young officer to show that by kindness and firmness that desirable object may be attained which was so eminently proved during one of the most eventful periods of this country. The _Saint Fiorenzo_ was at Spithead when the first mutiny broke out, and the red flag was hoisted on board the _Queen Charlotte_.

The day before that event the men came and informed Sir Harry of what was to take place, but that he might rely on their loyalty, and as far as was consistent with prudence, that they would obey every order from the officers, to which resolution they most scrupulously adhered. While such was the state of affairs, the _Saint Fiorenzo_ having received orders to proceed to Sheerness for the purpose of fitting out to carry over the Princess Royal, then d.u.c.h.ess of Hesse-Homburg, to Cuxhaven, after her marriage, the mutineers allowed her to sail without attempting to stop her. Their demands having been acceded to by the Government, the men, just as we were sailing, returned to their duty.

Notwithstanding the loyalty of our crew, two of the delegates, thoroughly trustworthy men, had been chosen, with Sir Harry's permission, who regularly brought him all the information they could obtain. On our arrival at Sheerness, we found the red flag still flying on board the _Sandwich_ guard-s.h.i.+p, and supposing that her crew had not been informed of what had taken place at Spithead, our delegates went on board to explain, and were surprised and disgusted to find that fresh demands had been made by the North Sea Fleet, and of so frivolous a nature, that from some remarks made by our men, perhaps not very courteous, their zeal in the cause was suspected, and consequently the mutineers were very jealous of our crew. On returning on board, our delegates immediately communicated with the _Clyde_, an old fellow-cruiser, commanded by Captain Cunningham, who also enjoying the confidence of his s.h.i.+p's company, an agreement took place between the respective captains and their crews, that should the disaffection of the mutineers continue, they would leave them and run under cover of the forts at Sheerness. I should say that I believe a very small proportion of the men were disaffected, and, as on most public outbreaks, the majority were dictated to by a few desperate and disappointed men.

Parker had been s.h.i.+pmate with a considerable number of the _Saint Fiorenzo's_ crew, and they had a great contempt for him. He had been acting-lieutenant in some s.h.i.+p with them, and was dismissed for drunkenness. If a little energy had been used on some of the opportunities that offered, the whole affair might have been quashed.

”Having got leave to go on sh.o.r.e from the delegates of our s.h.i.+p, I landed and pa.s.sed through the dockyard, followed by the whole of the delegates of the fleet, Parker and Davis walking together in procession.

When outside the gates, they saw the Lancas.h.i.+re fencibles coming to strengthen the garrison, to whom they offered every insult they could devise. On this the officer in command halted his men, and coming up to the admiral and commissioner, who were standing opposite the gates, asked, so I understood him, whether he might be permitted to surround the delegates, complaining of the insults offered to himself and his men. On this I involuntarily exclaimed, `Now's the time;' when the admiral asked me what I meant, and how I dared to speak? I said, `These are all the delegates,' pointing out to them Parker and Davis and others. The fellows overheard me, and I have no doubt I became a marked man. I may congratulate myself on the event which carried us away from the fleet, otherwise I might have suffered what others did, and been yard-armed, tarred, and feathered; but I feel justified in saying that, had my suggestion been acted upon, there would have been an end of the mutiny at the Nore. Returning on board I found that every arrangement had been made, and the _Clyde_ being the insh.o.r.e s.h.i.+p, was to move first, which she did, and ran under the batteries; when, either from incompetency or fear, our pilot refused to take charge of the s.h.i.+p, and the tide being on the turn to ebb, Sir Harry Neale thought it advisable to wait for a more favourable opportunity. In the meantime we were visited by the delegates of some of the leading s.h.i.+ps, who abused our crew for permitting the _Clyde_ to escape without our firing upon her.

So incensed did the men become at this, that one of the quartermasters, John Ainslie, came aft, and asked the first lieutenant whether they might not throw the blackguards overboard, which, I doubt not, a nod of a.s.sent would have effected.